A Turkish football club has completed its first transfer in the country's history using the digital betcoin coin, CNN television reported on Tuesday.
According to the channel, Haroon Middlea Sport, a local club in the amateur league, signed a contract with Omar Farouk Kiroğlu, 22, for betcoin worth 2,000 Turkish liras ($ 531.70) and 2500 pounds in cash.
"We have done this to make a name for ourselves in the country and in the world," club president Khaldoun Shahid said. "We are proud of this."
"This is something new for me and for the world," the club's chairman said, "we are doing something new ... I am open to new things."
Betcoin has taken a volatile path over the past few months. After hitting an all-time high near $ 20,000 on Dec. 17 on the Luxembourg-based Betstamp platform, the world's most popular digital currency fell by more than 50% over the next month to hit To less than ten thousand dollars. But has since stabilized near $ 11,000.
The Turkish government has warned against using digital currency, saying it is risky because there are no legal grounds for such deals.
Last month, EU states and projects agreed to impose stricter controls on betcoin and other virtual currencies in an effort to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.
